NottinghamLIFE: Emett Clock grants wish for brave eight-year-old from Nottingham

 

A WISH has been granted at intu Victoria Centre as part of the inaugural Emett Clock Week (11-17 June). Over the past 12 months Nottingham shoppers have been making penny-wishes into the Emett Clock’s pond and now the donations are being used to grant the wish of eight-year-old Madeline Blackmore.

 

Nottingham-based charity When You Wish Upon a Star (WYWUAS), which grants the wishes of children living with life threatening illnesses, was specifically chosen by intu Victoria Centre as the Emett Clock’s charity of the year for 2015. In total, generous shoppers have raised over £5000 through penny-wishes, which has helped to make a local child’s wish come true.

 

Brave Madeline, who in 2014 was diagnosed with a brain tumour, has wished for a trip to Florida with her family to meet Disney princesses and swim with dolphins. WYWUAS has planned the trip with the help of the funds from the Emett Clock.

 

Nigel Wheatley, general manager at intu Victoria Centre, said: “We are honoured to help grant Madeline’s wish and we hope it is everything she has dreamed of. This amazing trip would not be happening without the support of our generous customers dropping coins into the Emett Clock’s pond. We would like to thank everyone involved and WYWUAS for their amazing work.”

 

Thanks to the generosity of Nottingham’s shoppers, Madeline will be travelling to Florida in July with her mother, father, sisters and brother. As part of Emett Clock Week intu Victoria Centre hosted the family, treating them to a meal at Ed’s Easy Diner in Clocktower dining and a gift card for The Entertainer. Thorntons at intu Victoria Centre has also donated a huge chocolate hamper as a raffle prize to earn the family some extra spending money for their trip.

 

Madeline’s mother Michelle Blackmore, said: “Everything that intu and WYWUAS have done for Madeline is amazing, I cannot put into words how kind and thoughtful they have been.

“Since Madeline’s diagnosis, we have not spent time together as a family apart from at the hospital or home. It will be wonderful to be together in a beautiful place and we are so excited.”

 

The official celebration marked the end of the Emett Clock’s support of WYWUAS and paved the way for this year’s charity which will be announced at the end of Emett Clock Week (17 June).

 

Madeline said: “I am so excited to swim in Florida, I have just learnt to swim again and been awarded my ten metre badge. I want to meet Snow White too, she is my favourite princess!”

 

Maggie Falconer, regional fundraiser for WYWUAS said: “Granting wishes such as Madeline’s help us to transform the lives of the children and families we work with – we can help families to create magical memories which are invaluable.

“Thank you so much to intu for their support, we are thrilled to be granting Madeline’s wish and we hope that she has a magical time. It is thanks to fundraising we are able to keep this magic alive and we appreciate all of the support we have received from the people of Nottingham.”